A thief's Detective
by KurobaSeiko
Summary: A snowy retreat. People disappearing. Sounds like your average case for Kudo Shinichi. Now throw a thief, the organization, and some paranormal activity into it. This is anything but normal. KIDxOC KIDxShin later
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Prelude

A thief's Detective

Prelude

She ran. It was all she could do. She knew bone deep that if she were caught now she would die; slowly and painfully. The tall spruce trees of her childhood homeland seem menacing now and completely unfamiliar. Their heavy rain soaked branches snagged and tore at her clothes like angry hands. Her breath came out in harsh painful pants. Stumbling slightly she pushed her aching muscles harder to give whatever strength they had left. She hit a clearing and nearly toppled over the edge of a jagged cliff side. The river below was swollen and rushing rapidly. Slicing at the cliff side and the fatal rock it hid. She glanced back hearing heavy footsteps grow closer. Looking down at the water she flung herself off. Turning in midair the last thing she saw was her pursuer looking down. His silvery hair whipped away from his face and a violent scowl darkening his evil face.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! All belongs to Aoyama-san and a long list of whom ever else.

Chapter One

A very terrified thirteen year old Conan clung to the seat belt as Ran clung to him and Kazuha to her. Mouri Kogoro was whipping around another icy curve and sputtering curse as he missed the guardrail by mere centimeters.

"Old man! Go a littl' slower, will ya! I'd like ta graduate college in one piece!" Hattori snapped as he gripped the 'oh shit bar' a little tighter.

Ran whimpered and squeezed Conan tighter and smiled weakly at him. "Tou-san, please slow down a little."

"Shut up all of you! I need to concentrate!" The sleeping detective snapped.

Another hair pin curve and all occupants in the back seat slid into one another.

'If I live through this I'm going to …' Shinichi started to think. 'Nani?' "Oji-san, stop! Stop now!" He squeaked. His maturing voice as Conan cracked embarrassingly.

"NANI!" Kogoro shouted as he slammed on the brakes.

Everyone lurched forward and Hattori spitted out random curses as his head smacked painfully against the dashboard.

"Oi! Ku- Conan-kun!" Hattori called out the teen as he jumped out of the car and raced to the other side.

"Conan-kun!" Ran called out to him. She glanced at Heiji and took off after him. Once she caught up to him she saw he was crouched down to a sign and wiping of the piled snow.

"Brat what-"Kogoro started.

"You nearly missed the turn off." Shinichi interrupted before the old detective got started. "And it looks like we'll have to walk from here."

Heiji looked up to wear the shrunken detective was looking at. There was a tiny nearly useable dirt road ten paces down from them. They walked to the road and looked up at it. Branches and smaller weaker trees lay diagonally over the snow.

"It's like a barricade." Kazuha whispered to Ran.

The other girl nodded getting worried.

Shinichi narrowed his eyes. That's what it was. Even from this distance he could see that the trees didn't just fall over they were cut but why? Thousands of possibilities swamped his mind.

"You girls stay here wit' tha Old man. Me and the kid here will look on a head. Just ta make sure this is where we need ta be." Hattori said and swung an arm around Shinichi's neck.

"Be careful!" Ran called out to them as they walked off.

"Kudou …"

"I know, I saw. I also saw someone on a bike ride off in the other direction before we stopped." Shinichi said as he climbed over two fallen trees. It helped to be somewhat close to his original height but to go through puberty wasn't. He huffed impatiently and kicked one of the saplings down. Beside him Hattori flinched.

"Kudou … You've been taking lessons from Ran-nee-chan, haven't ya?" He said weakly.

"Mhm." Shinichi didn't look at him. "She said if I was going to stick my nose into dangerous cases I had better learn how to defend myself and the ones I'm trying to protect."

"I see …"

Silence fell around them. As they got closer the top of the hill the snow was getting thicker and the branches and trees disappeared. Shinichi felt his stomach clench and unclench. A sign he learned that there was something wrong. Stopping he looked around them quickly. It was unusually quiet. 'Where are the birds?' Shinichi thought. "Or the other animals? Did they get spooked … no, if they did some of them would have returned by now. It's like …'

"Kudou?"

"Yes?"

"Ya alright? Ya've gone pale." Hattori asked worriedly.

"Hattori … do you get the feeling as if you're not supposed to be here?" Shinichi asked and looked at him dead in the eye.

Hattori sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I was hopin' ya wouldn't say that but yeah, I do feel it. Right here." He said pointing to his gut.

Shinichi's jaw tightened visibly and nodded. Now that they had gotten it out on the open. It was as if the presence multiplied. The feeling of being watched was suffocating.

"Carw!"

Shinichi and Hattori jumped and spun on to a crow staring at them from the tree behind them. It watched them with beady eyes and cawed again them.

"Damn thin' scared the hell out of me." Hattori sighed.

"Let's go. There is no way we can get through this mess without tools." Shinichi said quickly and started to make his way back down to the others.

"Oi, Kudou! Don't"

"Look Hattori, I am not superstitious at all. It's just not me but when things start line up to something that was warned to me earlier I'm gonna get the hell away." Shinichi muttered and slipped.

"Huh?"

Shinichi sighed. "It was at the last Kaitou KID heist. I don't who in the hell it was so don't ask but … She knew about me. Who I was, who I'm after. Everything. She warned me that I was going to take a trip up north after a heavy storm. There I'll find not only myself there but crows, lots of them and every one of them will as a warning. If I was to see one I am to turn away from what I was doing and hide."

"Kudou …"

"Look I know it sounds nuts but …" Shinichi exasperated as he ran one of his hands threw his hair and sighed.

Hattori fell in step with the teen. Being gentle he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kudou whateva' works for ya to stay alive, do it. I'm not going to say that isn't one of the weirdest things to come from ya, cause it is, but Kudou your life is anything but normal. So I have'ta throw in some paranormal just ta keep myself from goin' crazy."

"Hattori …"

Hattori grinned cheekily and hooked an arm around Shinichi's neck. "Don't worry. Whateva happens I'm here with ya!"

"Hat"

"But if I get in ta trouble you're gonna have'ta bail me out with ya new karate skills~" The Osakan whistled and walked off.

'Oi, oi …' Shinichi twitched.

"That is the last time I have ya drive Old man!" Hattori shouted as he slammed the car door closed.

Conan helped Ran out of the car as Hattori yelled at her father. The car ride from their turn off just became worse. The roads were icier and on the side the snow was piled so high it looked as if it had been there for a while. Looking around he saw that all of the vehicles were all terrain trucks or snow mobiles. 'Just how far north did they go?' He thought.

"Conan-kun, were going inside." Ran said.

"Coming." Shinichi replied and grabbed his bag from the trunk. Closing the door he glanced up and noticed the same bike that had rode off earlier.

"Conan?"

"Ah, coming." He said hurriedly and ran up to the porch.

As Shinichi walked in after them he noticed that those that were in the room were staring at them. It was the same edginess he felt when in was in the forest. He blinked and stepped to the other side of Ran as Hattori went to Kazuha's side. He felt Ran's hand grip the back of his coat. As one of the men stood up and stepped toward them Shinichi moved ever so slightly in front of her and glared. The man towered over him by a good foot and a half but after his ordeal with Irish this man seemed like nothing.

"You must be Mouri Kogoro? The Sleeping Sleuth, right?" a feminine voice piped up over the big man's shoulder. The man stepped to the side and allowed the woman through.

"It's alright guys. They're detectives. I invited them here." She said looking around to everyone there. "Sorry about that. They are all really good people, just protective of their own."

The atmosphere lifted instantly and the small group sighed. The woman stepped past Kogoro and stopped in front of Conan and grinned. Instantly Shinichi was reminded of a certain thief. He blinked.

"You've got guts I haven't seen anyone stand up to Takeshi in a long time." She said and placed her hands on her thin hips. "My name's Touto Kayo."

"Edogawa Conan. This is Mouri Ran, Toyama Kazuha, Hattori Heiji and"

"Mouri Kogoro" He glared at the shrunken detective. "The one you invited. The other's just tagged along and are. Not. Needed."

"I wouldn't say that. The more the merrier on this case." She laughed.

"What exactly is the case?" Conan asked. "You didn't exactly explain it in your letter."

She looked at him measuring. "Well … people in our town have been going missing. All of them females around you to girls age." She said nodding her head to Ran and Kazuha. "Our police department is looking for them but with the recent storm they had to stop."

"Because of the storm? That seems a littl' ... I don't know … weak on their part." Hattori said and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Yes, we thought that too. Our town is doing what it can." She looked over her shoulder at the large group of burly men in the corner next to the bar. "And now the one person we thought could find them has turned up missing as well."

"And who would that be?" Shinichi asked.

She looked at him. "I can't say there name I'm afraid. All I can say is that they are a High school detective."

The group looked at each other for a moment.

"They just showed up one day during the storm and offered their help. In any way they could." She explained.

"Were they male or female?" Hattori asked.

Touto looked up at him. "I'm sorry I really couldn't tell. They were bundled up pretty good and they sounded pretty sick so their voice raspy and broken up. They did though own that bike you see out there."

Shinichi looked at Hattori. "May we see it?"

Touto blinked at them. "Sure." Then looked at Kogoro. "I wonder who the detective here is."

Shinichi barely got out the door when he felt a hand clamp down on to his shoulder. He yelped when I got swung backwards into the room.

"Stay out of my way brat." Kogoro spat. "I'll go check the bike."

Shinichi swung on him. "Fine then, what are you looking for?"

Kogoro sputtered and punched him hard on the head. "I'm not an idiot … I know what to look for."

"Tou-san!" Ran shouted and glared up at her father.

"Damn it, Old man I have had about enough of that! I meant the type of bike. Wither the engine is warm or not and if there are chains on the tires. If that is that same bike I saw we may have found some lead to them." Conan snapped.

Kogoro stared at the young boy in shock.

Ran placed a gentle hand on Conan's arm. "What do you mean Conan?"

Shinichi took a deep breath to steady him and remembered that he had to act like Conan. "Back at the turn we were supposed to take I saw a bike take off as we stopped. You saw the pass it was covered in branches and saplings. Seeing as how that was the only bike I managed to see outside my guess is that it may be the same one but I have to see first. If it is it mean that through that pass may be a lead."

"Didn't you and Hattori go up there earlier?" Kazuha asked.

"Yeah … well we got up to the top of the hill. It's a pretty far walk and from what we saw it looked like it would have been longer before we came across anything." Hattori explained.

"You guys keep saying a turn. You don't mean the turn about 3 miles from here do you?" Touto asked.

"We do."

"I wouldn't go into those woods if I were you. There is an ancient curse on that land." She said seriously.

"Curse?" The girls squeaked.

"Hm … A few years back the shine on top of the mountain caught fire. The priest at the time was in town and only saw the smoke. His wife and child was trapped in the flames. By the time the fire department arrived it was too late. The flames had engulfed the entire temple. He swore that he wouldn't forgive whoever did this and took his life. Ever since then the day he died the animals disappeared and wouldn't go anywhere near the land and whoever ventures into the forest never come out."

Shinichi placed a hand to his chin and thought about what Touto just told them. 'If it is a curse it out of our hands but if it isn't just how many people have gone missing already and how do we keep it from happening again?'

"How many people have gone missing already?" Hattori asked.

"I don't know dozens of them over the years but only five here this time." Touto said shaking her head.

"Well seeing as how you two have everything all together! I'm gonna get a drink!" Kogoro snapped verminously.

Shinichi bit his tongue as he watched the drunk saunter off to the bar.

"Sorry about him." Ran said bowing.

Touto glared at the man as he left. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry you have to put up with that kind of abuse." She smiled at them and walked hurriedly past them.

Shinichi sniffed the air and stared after her. She didn't smell as if she was working behind a bar. She smelt like the spruce pines and the winter air. He watched her grab a heavy females white winter coat and a dark blue scarf. She was taller than him at the moment but if he was normal they'd be close to the same height and she was all legs with a right amount of curve. She had healthy looking skin and violet blue eyes. Chocolate colored hair was long and pulled back into a messy pony tail. Yet despite the messy look to her it looked perfect. As if this was the look she wanted. Shinichi smirked and held back the question for a time when he had "her" alone for now he'd leave 'Touto Kayo' alone.

"Shinichi?" Ran whispered.

"What?" Shinichi replied without taking his gaze off of Touto as she and Kazuha exchanged a few words.

"You keep staring at her? Do you have a crush?" Ran asked in a normal volume.

Touto, Kazuha, and Hattori looked over at them right as Shinichi blushed to his hair line and sputtered out a coupled of broken no's. Ran laughed and grinned at him. Touto called out to one of the people behind the bar to grab their bags and to place them in room's closet to hers.

"Why close to yours?" Kazuha asked.

"Because it'll put the town at ease and because of all of the disappearances it has been hard for them to accept strangers so, the ones that do come get placed to those that are from the town." Touto explained and walked down the steps. "Careful it's a bit icy." She said and extended a hand subconsciously to Kazuha and Ran.

Shinichi's smirk grew wider. Hattori noticed it and took a couple steps away from his friend.

"That's the detective's bike?" Hattori asked jutting his chin out toward the bike on the lot.

"Yes." Touto said looking over her shoulder. "I feel horrible. If I had told them just to wait then maybe they would have disappeared like the others."

Shinichi walked over to the bike and place a gloved hand on the engine. "It's warm."

"That means this was the one you saw." Hattori said and looked around the lot.

"Yeah." Shinichi stood and looked out to the road. Noticing a small path that cut into the forest he started for it. "Touto-san, where does that path lead?"

"Up to the old temple. It's a pretty walk … I used to do it every day for exercise but with everything happening."

Shinichi nodded. "Would you be willing to take us up there?"

Her eyes widen for a moment. "Sure I can take you but do you mind if bring someone with me?"

"Sure."

Touto smiled and began to walk around back. "You guys can follow me if you want. There is a way to get to the trail just around back."

The group followed her around to the other side and watched her run up to a dog on a cord. She untied the cord and watched it take off like a bullet toward them. The girls froze for a moment, Hattori tensed, and Conan took a massive amount of fur strait to the chest and landed in the snow with his glasses flying.

"Conan-kun!" Ran surged forward but Touto calling out to her stopped her.

"It's alright he won't hurt him. He's just saying hello."

As if on cue they heard Shinichi's laughter and soft urges to get off. They watched the massive dog leap over Shinichi's head and crouch in a playful position. It barked a couple of times before running up to the others. The girls squealed as the dog stopped in front of them and sat. Tail wagging like crazy. As the others got aquatinted with the dog Touto jogged up to Shinichi laughing. Picking up his glasses carefully she handed them to him.

"Sorry about Jiro, but feel lucky. He'll only jump on those he immediately likes. You're the first one in months. The only others was myself and the missing detective."

"I see. Ah … he won't do that every time, would he?" Shinichi asked eyeing her side ways.

She grinned wildly. "I'm not Jiro so I can't say."

"I'll keep that in mind" Shinichi said standing up. Stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets he turned the smirk on to her. "KID."

Touto's grin didn't falter nor did it reach her eyes any more. "Hm?"

"What are you doing here?" Shinichi asked as plainly as if he had asked for the weather.

"It's the missing detective." Touto asked now sounding as how Shinichi remember KID's voice to be. "I am or was supposed to have a heist here in a couple of days. The missing detective that was here for the missing people asked for my help on the case. We were working pretty well together. She knew who I was and didn't care. She said everyone has to making a living somehow and didn't press for details. Nor did I ask for her back ground. A couple of days ago …" He took breath and turned away from the three they had been watching to look at the tree line. "A group men and women in black arrived into town. By then I had taken up my disguise as Touto Kayo and she and I were only meeting at night in the forest. We had gotten close to the site where the people have been reportedly going missing. It didn't turn out well. I had kept to the higher parts of the trees while she to the ground. The last thing I heard from her was to stay safe then static."

Shinichi looked at him now and could see the thief behind the mask. "Which is why you sent for Kogoro? To get someone else on the case faster. To find them before they are killed or more people go missing."

KID snorted and nodded his head to the group. "Not Kogoro. You, tantei-kun."

Shinichi looked back just in time to see the dog racing toward him again. Holding up a hand Jiro screeched to a halt and wagged his tail at them.

"Ready for a walk?" KID asked sounding like Touto again.

The dog barked happily and race off toward the trail.


	2. Chapter 2

Here we are at Chapter 2! Yay! So things have gotten under way for our little group. For those of you that are Kogoro fans I do apologize for cutting him out short. I got a question about the age of Conan and the group ... clears throat to clarify this: Conan (Shinichi) is around 13 which would put Ran, Hattori and Kazuha around 23.

Chapter 2

The snow had begun to fall shortly after they started on the trail. Even though most of the animals that had resided in the forest had left; Jiro was trotting happily in between Shinichi's and Touto's side. Ran kept giving them quick concerned glances and a small smile to Shinichi that had him blushing and finding interest in the ground.

"Did you tell her about yourself?" Touto asked.

"Yes … about two years ago now." Shinichi replied. "I also told her not to wait for me anymore. There is no cure."

KID stopped. "Tantei-kun …"

"It's okay. I'll miss her but I want her to be happy more." Shinichi said looking at him. There was a smile on his face that didn't quiet reach his eyes.

"And what about your happiness?" KID asked calmly and stood beside him.

Shinichi held KID's unwavering gaze for a couple of thick heartbeats. Jiro whined and nudged his leg.

"Conan-kun! Come see!" Ran shouted down to them.

Shinichi tore his gaze away from KID and ran up the embankment.

"You fall if you run." Touto called out after him and watched his feet fly out from under him.

Shinichi followed Ran's pointed finger to a temple sticking out of the forest. It was massive and looked completely picturesque sitting quietly in the snow. Touto came up beside him and took out a small pair of binoculars. Taking a quick look through, he handed them to Shinichi.

"Look down to the lower left of the temple. They are three black vans and a Porsche."

Shinichi didn't take the offered binoculars. He already knew what the car looked like and who it belonged to. "Porsche 356A." He stated drily.

Everyone looked at him then to Touto. She nodded stiffly.

"You know them, then." She said it as a fact more than a question so Shinichi didn't respond.

"It's Gin's" Shinichi shuddered and leaned back against one of the trees. Some of its thick snow covered branches obscured him but Ran managed to catch a glimpse of his frightened expression.

'If it is them who are behind this, we might be able to bring them in, but we have to move carefully … one wrong move …' Shinichi thought then lost himself to a series of images from his over active imagination. 'NO!'

"I'm a little confused. I thought you said the temple was burnt down?" Kazuha said looking over to the standing structure.

"It must have been rebuilt …" Touto said looking through the binoculars again. Suddenly she was on her feet and back pedaling.

Shinichi surged forward and latch hold of her arm to keep her from toppling backwards over a fallen log. He could feel tremor after tremor race through the tense muscles. 'What in the world spooked him?'

"Sit down." Shinichi ordered crisply and snatched the binoculars from the dead handed grip.

To say Shinichi was a little more than shocked to see KID plop down into the snow was an understatement. Looking through the goggles he saw half of an obscured man talking snappily with Vodka. Searching for Gin just to have his bearings on him Shinichi nearly scream when a set of wide glaring eyes stared back at him. Leaping back Shinichi landed hard in the snow and quickly glanced around.

"Son of a …." Closing his eye he placed an unsteady hand to his wildly beating heart.

"What? What is it?" Ran asked rushing to his side.

Shinichi looked up at KID as the thief did the same. At some time Kazuha had moved to his side and had her hands on his shoulders lightly.

"You, too?" Touto whispered breathlessly.

Shinichi remained still for a moment then nodded slowly.

"What was …?" Touto began before Shinichi shook his head. It wasn't the time or place to explain what they saw.

"Was it …"

Shinichi shook his head more furiously. Jiro growled and barked at the branches above them causing the two to leap to their feet and place them back to back.

"What in tha hell is wrong with tha two of ya?" Hattori snapped pulling Kazuha forward into his arms then behind him protectively.

That was when the tension broke loose. The upper limbs of the trees shook and caused a cascade of snow to topple on to them. Shinichi leaped on to Ran and he felt KID leap onto him. Glancing around Shinichi watched as the bushes around them seemed to close in. The girls screamed. Shinichi yanked ran up hard and pushed KID forward to the path. Hattori caught them moving and pulled Kazuha after them.

"What was that?" Ran shouted to Shinichi gripping his hand.

Shinichi race after KID and prayed that the thief in disguised would know of a safe place. "Not now!"

"Maybe this placed is cursed." Hattori shouted and narrowly missed a branch.

"Heiji you always told me there is no such"

"I know what I said, Kazuha, and now I'm saying seeing is believing! I saw and now I believe!" Hattori shouted back.

"Don't always believe what you see Tantei." Touto laughed.

"How can you laugh?" Ran squeaked when another pile of snow hit her and Shinichi.

"Sorry, nervous habit. When I get jittery I tend to get talky and giggly." Touto explained and leaped over a fallen stump.

'This isn't good. I can't have him nervous.' Shinichi thought as he and Ran watched Touto disappear from the other side with a startled pained shout. Shinichi halted and held out an arm to Hattori and Kazuha to stay still. Jiro was up and on the other side in seconds. Growling between the dog and some other thing resounded off the trees and was the only thing that could be heard. Shinichi lunged forward but got caught by Ran's intense grip.

Touto stumbled over the stump and shouted. "Run! Run!"

Shinichi notice that KID had completely dropped trying to sound like Touto and pulled Ran after him. Hattori was doing the same with Kazuha. KID sprinted to Shinichi's side and stayed there.

They hit an open field moments later and KID took off toward a cabin a head and swung the door open. "Get inside, now!"

They all practically threw themselves though the door. Once in KID slammed the door closed and locked. For good measure when it bulged against the hinges he and Shinichi threw themselves against it.

"Make sure everything is closed and locked." Shinichi shouted.

Hattori and the girls were on their feet and instantly searching and barring. The front door continued to bulged and bend. Shinichi glanced at the white string bracelet that slipped out from under his watch. KID noticed and looked at him curiously. Spinning Shinichi braced the door with his back and reached for the string. As he touched it the force against the door stopped and the sound of scampering feet retreated. KID and Shinichi looked at each other in shock as the others returned to the room. That was when Shinichi finally got a good look at the number they did on the thief. A long slash had sliced open the woman's white coat and was spilling down everywhere. Four of the same marking went across his face tearing the rubber prosthetic in dangling pieces. Shinichi could smell blood and noticed it was blooming under the mask and on KID's legs.

"KID sit" Shinichi said briskly to him and edged him into a chair. "You're bleeding."

"We got them all. Now what … SHINICHI!" Ran squeaked.

Shinichi was in the middle of helping KID out of the torn jeans with a pair of scissors he found as the thief pull the second skin away from the tender open cuts. Hearing the squeak of surprise the two leaped to their feet and stared at her worriedly.

"What?" They unitized.

"What do you think you are doing?!"

They looked at each other confused.

"I was getting ready to"

"Strip the pants of them!" Ran snapped and placed her hands on her hips.

Shinichi blushed and stuttered. "St-stupid! How else do you expect me to get to his wounds?"

KID blushed slightly as well and felt Shinichi coax him to sit again. KID looked up at the shrunken detective and looked away suddenly. Shinichi knelt down in front of him again and hesitated. They caught eyes briefly and both blushed to their hair line.

"Okay!" Shinichi squeaked. "Now we are just acting silly." 'Damn it, Ran. You just made this real awkward.' Shinichi thought as he stamped down his emotions for clear rational thinking. Being light and extremely gentle with his touch Shinichi cut and pulled away the sticky fabric.

Blood seep onto his fingers and palm. He felt nerves jerk at his stomach but kept his hand steady. After getting the last bit of the fabric away he turned to Ran who was now watching owlishly with Kazuha and Hattori. He blushed again and stood.

"Ran, can you get me a wash bin, towels and a first aid kit, if you can find them." He asked softly looking around the place.

"Bath room, down the hall, under the sink's cabinet." KID whispered. He had placed his right hand over his right eye in some attempt to hide a part of his face. Shinichi thought back to the monocle he always wore. Rooting threw the scraps of clothes he found the smooth glass in the inside pocket of the jacket.

'Right over his heart.' Shinichi thought and griped it tightly before handing it to KID. KID felt his heart skip a couple of times in joy when Shinichi held his monocle out to him. Gingerly he took the talisman from Shinichi's palm and placed it over his eye. Feeling a little more at ease he relaxed against the sofa's back. Ran returned shortly and placed the bin on the table to the side. Realization came across her face first then embarrassment. Shinichi coolly took a rag from her slack grip and dipped it into the water.

"Ah" Ran turned on her heel and mouthed KID to Hattori and Kazuha. "Would you like us to leave, KID-san?"

KID looked up startled at her then looked at Shinichi. Shinichi didn't pay him any attention. His silence clearly stated it was his decision to make. "No, it's alright." He murmured collectively.

Shinichi continued to work quickly. Being held by KID was one thing to him. Feeling around under the thief's clothes for the 'wings' switch, another. Skin to skin contact? It was frying his brain's circuits. With every swipe he felt like he had to reboot. Shinichi's brows knit together in concentration and a light blush stained his cheeks. He looked up when he felt a finger poke him in between the eyes.

"You're going to wrinkle that pretty face of yours, Tantei-kun." KID smirked looking completely relaxed.

'Like a cat during a brushing.' Shinichi thought. "Shut up."

"Muu, Tantei-kun! So mean!" KID laughed. One of his thin arms lay languidly over his eyes making the monocle press comfortably against his feverish skin. Sweat was starting to drip down his forehead and his breaths were coming in short little gasps.

"KID?" Ran said worriedly and placed a hand on Shinichi's shoulder.

Shinichi looked at her and she inclined her head to KID. Standing Shinichi leaned over the thief. Gently he took the arm down and saw KID's eyes were closed. Shinichi placed his forehead to his and felt a fever. "Jesus, he's burning up."

Carefully he shifted the thief to lie down. KID groggily opened his eyes to stare up at Shinichi. What Shinichi saw in that gaze made a shiver race down his spine violently. KID was staring at him with an expression so full of regret and guilt it choked the breath from him but there was also a gentleness and love that seemed almost indescribable.

"Sorry … so sorry … Couldn't save … you … Miyako-chan …. Love …" KID mumbled before slipping off to his fever.

Shinichi gripped KID's shoulders tightly and closed his eyes. 'He was in love.'


	3. Chapter 3

So here we are at the third chapter. This is a sad one and I would recommend playing Open your eyes by Iwasaki Taku for it.

Also in regards to my other story Second Chances: Thank you, angelwingsonline for inspiring me to continue on it.

Chapter 3

'Just two weeks till the full moon.' KID thought as he drove carefully on the icy roads ahead of him. The heater was full blast and a hot cup of tea warmed his hands. He could feel a grin tug at the corner of his mouth and let it grow into a full blown unlatched smile. Tossing his head back he laughed wildly at the fun he was going to have. Of course there was going to be tons of planning, set ups, sore muscles, and terrible headaches but if he found or even if he didn't find Pandora he was going to have fun with this. Like always. He was a performer at heart and would always be one.

* * *

><p>"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" He was cussing and clinging to the steering wheel in hopes that his will power was going to keep his all-terrain Jeep from rolling, so far it had. He slowed down to a near stop when another howling blast of wind pushed him closer the edge on a turn. When the storm had it he had no idea but he hated it and wished it someplace else. Snow was caking itself on to his windshield and blinding him. He spat another string of curses that would have made Nakamouri-keibu blush and pulled off to the side of the road or at least what he had hoped to be it. The snow was piled so high he couldn't tell any more. KID then spotted headlights. They were dim and it seemed there was only one. Squinting he focused on what he was looking at. Then there was movement; a little shift on the top of the light. He leaped out of the Jeep and felt his feet slide against the surface. Gripping the side mirror he closed the door and trudged closer to the mound.<p>

"Hey!"

He watched them jerk up and turn to him. They were tiny, probably only five foot three and approximately one hundred and ten pounds. A sleek black helmet kept him from seeing their face or gender. Looking down he saw why there was only one light. Whoever it was had to either be crazy or numb with the cold to ride a Suzuki motorcycle in the dead of winter in a blizzard. KID gauged the snow level around them and realized they had been there for a while.

"Are you alright?" He asked politely.

"Yeah, I'm just waiting for a break in the weather." A raspy voice answered and stood from where they sat.

KID bit the inside of his cheek. "My jeep is just a few" glancing back over his shoulder he noticed that is was further back than he realized and corrected himself. "Well more like fifty feet back but it's warm and would be a lot better that catching your death out here." 'If you haven't already.' He added mentally and clenched his teeth when they wanted to chatter.

They stared at him or so he assumed, looking into the dark Plexiglas slide cover was starting to unnerve him. The person walked around to him. He wasn't expecting the waterfall of jet black curly hair or the emerald eyed stared.

'A woman.' KID thought and flashed a charming smile at her. "My name is"

"Phantom thief 1412 aka Phantom thief KID aka Kaitou KID. Need I continue?" She said calmly as if she was merely stating the names of her pets.

Taken aback he still continued to smile but now instead or witty charm it was out of defense. 'How in the hell!'

She tucked the helmet under her arm and hefted a duffel bag that looked to be at least three times her size onto her shoulder. There wasn't an ounce of strain in her face or gratitude when KID took it over his own instead, just acceptance.

"I'll assume your silence is a way of denying yet not quite accepting it is the truth." She miffed and cast a measuring gaze on him.

KID grinned from ear to ear. "I have to admit you are the second person to know immediately who I am." That statement was a risky gamble even for him.

She remained silent before bowing properly. "Kai Miyako. You said you had a Jeep fifty feet back?"

He nodded. "Yes, if you don't mind I have a question for you first."

She looked at him with an unwavering gaze.

"You know who I am, what I do for a profession, yet you will willingly get into a car with me; not only a stranger but a criminal as well."

"Nothing in that statement was a question." She said calmly then shrugged a thin shoulder. "Why not? I could either stay out here and freeze to death or stay alive and risk 'something' happening, which I know for a fact nothing will. You mean me no harm. I have only heard of you through the word of mouth and caught a glimpse of your performance in Beika when I was there for a cold case. You won't hurt me. Maybe smother me to death with chivalrous kindness, but never intentionally harm me."

The way she had stated it so simply and the fact she pegged his future actions perfectly left him almost speechless.

"Case?"

"Yes, a case. I am a detective."

He blinked then laughed. She stared at him. Her emerald eyes mirroring her confusion. Waving her off KID said "Don't worry … it's not you. I'm laughing at my ability to attract unwanted interference."

"Interference?" She huffed.

'Ah, so she can express emotion.' He smirked at her and watched her shocked annoyed expression get smashed away. "I meant no offense, just merely stating facts of my career."

* * *

><p>The storm had let up slightly so it was only a light snow fall. KID had watched his companion all but strip bare and curl up in the back seat. For being wary of him earlier she had place quite a bit of trust in him to allow her to sleep, but now that she had warmed up, a fever and nasty congested cough settled in her. KID stared at the sky and listened to her hack what sounded like her lung up. Wincing he looked back at her in the rear view mirror. While she slept earlier he wrapped his spare blanket around her and changed her soaked socks into warmer ones of his. She stirred and rose and KID felt his breath hitch. There was such a longing gentle expression on her face. Her eyes held his for what seemed like forever. He never really believed in true love or destiny. To think that was only one person for him in the world tended to make him sad. As she continued to stare at him he began to rethink that. He cleared his throat and broke eye contact.<p>

"Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you." She was whispering now. He noted that her voice was almost gone.

"Where are you heading?" He asked starting the jeep.

Glancing back at her he watched the first threads of panic and fear flash in her eyes. Cursing at himself he smiled.

"Don't worry, a gentleman thief remember." He watched her fearful gaze and grip on the handle relax.

"There is a small town just up a head, Akaiwa."

He pulled off and inched slowly onto the icy road. Grateful he put the snow chains on the tires hours ago he managed to get them up to a faster speed without slipping around on the road. Out of the corner of his eye he watched her drop the back of the passenger's seat and slip down beside him. 'So she's not afraid of me now.'

They were both cursing themselves for not going the extra four miles to the town. KID was going to drop her off at the nearest hotel, grab some info about the land and something to eat, and then head off into the woods around the temple where his target was located, but the female detective had passed out do to the fever and the pained expression on her face clenched his heart too much to even think about abandoning her now. KID swung into a spot in front of what looked like to be an old boarding house. Jumping out he went around to her side and carried her from the car.

'Damn' He thought calculating her weight again. One hundred seem almost too heavy for her.

* * *

><p>The week was reaching an end. KID was appalled, shocked and completely honored, not only was she not going to interfere with his work, but praised him and asked for his help. He couldn't help but think how Hakuba and Nakamouri-keibu would be down-right confused and appalled if they were here. He also noticed that if he ever wanted to know about her all he had to do was ask and she'd willingly give him the information. They both worked around each other. Offering help and giving it. They both had some what of the same moral standers as well. Neither of them could stand watching people suffer and willing offered a second hand no matter what it was. They also believed in second chances. KID watched her lace the fishing wire threw a loop and down across a hook near the base of a tree. While he was perched in the upper branches lacing the rest of it threw a net filled with snow. It was against his colorful nature but he went with her advice that glitter and confetti would be too noticeable here. So he used snow and small capsules fill with the stuff. At least when it hit the ground it would cause some explosion and colorful blast. He chuckled and grinned.<p>

She was looking off at the distance again. He felt his grin fall and worry eat at his nerves. Kid tapped down next to her and brushed her cheek. The scratches were still there, puckered and angry looking. She wouldn't tell him were they had come from or what she was constantly looking narrowly at. They also had found no traces of the missing girls. That angered him as a person but for a detective he couldn't imagine the frustration she felt. Miyako leaned into his palm and looked at him. He didn't know when they started this; the silent conversations and gentle touching. She turned and walked back toward a well-known path. He looked back to where she was watching and felt uneasy. What-ever she was looking at he didn't like it.

* * *

><p>KID walked down the cottage's stairs towel drying his hair when he saw her bathed in moonlight. Frozen half way in mid-step he watched her. She was having some sort of staring contest with something outside the window. She sensed him and turned away from the fogged window. He walked toward her subconsciously and held her. Something in her expression pulled the feelings from him. He was frightened for her and he didn't know why. He could just tell that something was going to happen. He felt her tremble then her thin arms wrap around his waist. Give and take. No words. Just simple need.<p>

"You're scaring me." He whispered gently and smoothed the back of her curls.

She laughed gently. "There is no need."

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it. She seemed so much older than what she told him her age was. An old spirit. Wise far beyond her years. He allowed her to step back from him but kept his hands on hers. She smiled so gently at him that he had to draw her back into his arms again.

"I feel as if you're going to disappear somewhere far beyond my reach." He strained.

Miyako's eyed widened for a moment before she closed them. "I have to tell you something and it is up to you to believe my words or not."

They sat on the couch and she held one of his palms up in her hands. Gently and with the lights touch possible began to trace the lines in his palm then moved on to the thousands of light scars. "I am … well an onmyoji or at least I studied the onmyodo arts. My father, who is a master, taught me a little. I have always had a high level of psych power. When I was little it was hard for me to control and more than once I lost it. I lashed out at those around me because I was angry and confused and scared. So, so scared. I would see things that others couldn't and things that people shouldn't. Slowly over time I learned to control my ability and used it to my advantage. By being a detective. I tell you this because … this case and all of my other cases are tied in with things that are hardly explainable. I tell you this because I want to give you the option to leave if you want but if you stay I can't ensure you won't see something or get hurt." She took a breath and steadied herself. "If you do stay there is no going back. What you will see and face will change you. Permanently. I won't say if it will be good or bad because it will depend on how you accept the change."

"Is that what you have been staring at?"

She measured him. "Yes. This cottage is mine. It's a safe house. I usually come here by a side trail off the road that way none of the towns people recognize my face. This town has always had problems with the supernatural. So I tend to live here for months at a time cleansing and sealing. Now …"

"Now something else is happening." He continued for her.

She nodded and her brows knitted together in concentration. "Yes something or someone has done something and tampered with an already unstable balance and I don't know if I can help this time. Promise me something. Promise me that whatever will happen you'll stay safe. Protect yourself."

* * *

><p>He watched her go over. The river swallowed her and tossed her body like a rag doll. Glimpsing briefly at the man he saw that he had already disappeared. Turning his attention to the rushing water he couldn't see her. Panic crept at the edges of his mind and continued to grow as he climbed down the cliff side to the jagged shoreline. As he reached the water panic broke into full scale terror. Frantically he searched even when day broke through the snow clouds and illuminated everything. He couldn't see any life around him. She was gone. Collapsing to the ground he stared at the dark water.<p>

* * *

><p>KID panted. Each gasp was like thousands of needles stabbing his throat and lungs.<p>

'I'm dying!' His thoughts screamed. He felt tears prick at the corner of his eyes but he be damned if he'd let them fall now but the pain … It was fogging his mind; his ability to mask and to think rationally. Opening his eyes slowly he stared up at a slightly unfamiliar ceiling. Judging by the silver rays slicing across the inky darkness it had to be close to midnight. His lids fell heavily over his gritty eyes and he hissed in annoyance at his weakness. He heard soft foot falls enter the room and he willed the strength to look toward the sound. Kudo Shinichi froze just a few feet from his grasp. There was no expression on his pale face but his emerald eyes … KID went to rise. Fear spiking adrenaline into his system. In a movement that seemed far too graceful and delicate for a man Shinichi moved to KID and kept him still. KID blinked and stared at Shinichi's face. He could see Shinichi but also someone else; someone important.

"Miyako?" he whispered.

Shinichi froze and watched him carefully for three long heartbeats. Then he huffed and sat next to the thief on the couch. "You are too perceptive as always, thief-san."

The voice that KID heard was not only Shinichi's but Miyako's as well. It mixed in-harmoniously and sent a shudder down KID's spine. Like a fogged mirror he could see Miyako's face hover over Shinichi's. "Wha- HOW?"

She/he chuckled softly and tilted their head to look at him smugly. "Simple. I asked him if I could take over for a moment."

"That would imply he can see you." KID said looking around the room for Shinichi; if he could even see him. He was able to sense spirits sometimes but only sense. Never see.

"You are correct. He can, and did well before I had realized." She said looking off toward the stairs. Fondly she gazed around the, her, living room. "You were smart to bring them here."

"I just ran instinctively. I real had no idea where I was going." He mumbled.

"You were just thinking of some place safe." She said gently and watched him.

He winced painfully and clutched at the covers on his chest. The cuts were starting to burn. He felt a hand lay over his and he looked up at Miyako.

"Let me see."

He kept he gaze on her face. Measuring and gauging her reactions and as usual he couldn't. She pulled away the covers and the button down shirt he had on. Slipping to the floor she reached down and picked up a rag from the warm water basin.

"He, Kudo-san, was getting ready to do this when I had asked him." She said quietly. "Even if you woke up or not."

KID remained motionless against the first swipe. He watched her; the calmness of her features, the gentle grace of her movements. She was constantly alluring to him. Even after her death, she remained captivating. This time he couldn't feel the tears till it was too late and they fell against her hand. She didn't look up at him but froze.

"You tried. You came for me and you tried. It was all you could do. Thank you though. I really am happy. KID-san meeting and getting to spend time with you over the week meant a great deal to me." She said staring at her hands. She couldn't look at him, not now, it would break her resolve. 'Such a dangerous thing to be dead yet offered a body to host.' She thought but she had seen things like this before. It never ended well for the host or the spirit. The spirit would grow too attached to the host and try to keep the body, while the host eventually forgot who they were. She closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of a living body. So warm … her eyes flew open and she abruptly stood. KID watched her and composed himself immediately.

"Miyako …"

"My time is up." She said calmly. 'I've been in this realm for too long.'

KID opened his mouth to protest before closing it and nodding his head. He closed his eyes against the tears again. "I lo"

She placed firm fingers against his lips cutting off his words and shook her head. "Save those words."

He kept his eyes closed and nodded again. He couldn't trust his voice at the moment. His eyes sprung open when the felt a gentle caress of lips over his heart. Blinking at her he blushed madly.

"To ease the pain." She stated looking at him.

Even though he knew it was her and could kind of see her it was still frightfully awkward and exciting to see Shinichi. Miyako rose and smiled knowingly at him. He watched her still stand next to him even as Shinichi's body stepped back.

"Sayonara, KID-san." and just like that she thinned into a silver of light and vanished.


End file.
